Abstract: An illumination unit for illuminating an area of operation during open surgery. The illumination unit including: a body; a fiber bundle configured to guide light towards a distal end of the body, and a reflector body arranged at the distal end of the body. Where at least a part of the fiber bundle is guided inside the body along a longitudinal direction, the fiber bundle is split up into a plurality of optical fibers which form a fiber layer on an inner surface of the body, end faces of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged at the distal end of the body, the reflector body encloses the end faces of the plurality of optical fibers in a radial direction and extends distally beyond the distal end of the body in the longitudinal direction, and an inner surface of the reflector body is a reflective surface.

Abstract: A method of medical multi-dye fluorescence imaging. The method including: capturing fluorescent images of an operating field in which two or more different fluorescent dyes are present in successive sequences of images with a surgical or diagnostic imaging device, each sequence of images alternating through different modes of excitation lighting adapted for at least one each of two or more of the two or more different dyes, and processing the captured images of each successive sequence of images in combination with each other. The processing comprising determining the respective local distributions of the two or more different fluorescence dyes causing the observed different distributions of brightness in the two or more different fluorescent images of the sequence and producing one or more images displaying the determined local distributions of the two or more different fluorescent dyes separately.

Abstract: A video endoscope for fluorescence imaging, with an elongate shaft and video camera at a distal end. The video camera includes an objective lens system and image acquisition system. The objective lens system configured to receive light and/or reflect from and to transmit the received light towards the image acquisition system. The image acquisition system includes: a beam splitter for splitting light first and second optical beam paths, first and second imaging chips for receiving light transmitted along the first and second beam paths, respectively. The beam splitter, and first and second imaging chips configured to facilitate concurrent acquisition of a white light image obtained by illuminating the target with white light and receiving light reflected from a target, and a fluorescence image obtained by illuminating the target with excitation light and receiving fluorescence light emitted by the target in response to illumination with excitation light.

Abstract: A light source device for an endoscope includes a plurality of excitation laser light sources, a plurality of first condensing optical systems, a plurality of first optical fiber bundles, an illumination light source that generates white light, a second condensing optical system that condenses the white light emitted from the illumination light source, a second optical fiber bundle, and a first glass rod of which a first end surface is connected to emission end surfaces of the first and second optical fiber bundles and first emission ends of the first optical fiber bundles and a second emission end of the second optical fiber bundle are bundled. A connecting portion of an illumination optical system of an endoscope is provided on a second end surface of the first glass rod opposite to the first end surface.

Abstract: A stereoscopic video endoscope including a main body, an elongate shaft, and a video camera disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft. The video camera including a first optical lens system and a first imaging chip, the first optical lens system and the first imaging chip being configured to acquire a first image of a structure of interest from a first perspective; and a second optical lens system and a second imaging chip, the second optical lens system and the second imaging chip being configured to acquire a second image of the structure of interest from a second perspective. The first perspective and the second perspective being offset from each other by an angle. The first imaging chip and the second imaging chip differ from each other in at least one of spatial resolution, color resolution, or spectral sensitivity.

Abstract: A video endoscope for fluorescence imaging, with an elongate shaft and video camera at a distal end. The video camera includes an objective lens system and image acquisition system. The objective lens system configured to receive light and/or reflect from and to transmit the received light towards the image acquisition system. The image acquisition system includes: a beam splitter for splitting light first and second optical beam paths, first and second imaging chips for receiving light transmitted along the first and second beam paths, respectively. The beam splitter, and first and second imaging chips configured to facilitate concurrent acquisition of a white light image obtained by illuminating the target with white light and receiving light reflected from a target, and a fluorescence image obtained by illuminating the target with excitation light and receiving fluorescence light emitted by the target in response to illumination with excitation light.

Abstract: An illumination unit for illuminating an area of operation during open surgery. The illumination unit including: a body; a fiber bundle configured to guide light towards a distal end of the body, and a reflector body arranged at the distal end of the body. Where at least a part of the fiber bundle is guided inside the body along a longitudinal direction, the fiber bundle is split up into a plurality of optical fibers which form a fiber layer on an inner surface of the body, end faces of the plurality of optical fibers are arranged at the distal end of the body, the reflector body encloses the end faces of the plurality of optical fibers in a radial direction and extends distally beyond the distal end of the body in the longitudinal direction, and an inner surface of the reflector body is a reflective surface.

Abstract: An illumination system for fluorescence imaging in open surgery including an illumination light source for generating illumination light including white light and fluorescence excitation light, and illumination optics for illuminating an operating area with the illumination light. The illumination optics including a light guide configured for guiding illumination light from the illumination light source into a light entry end of the illumination optics along a light path to a light exit end of the illumination optics. The light guide includes a light guiding taper arranged in the light path comprising a light entry surface oriented towards or at the light entry end and a light emitting surface oriented towards or at the light exit end, wherein an area of the light emitting surface is larger than an area of the light entry surface.

Abstract: An illumination device for fluorescence image guided surgery and a surgical instrument. The illumination device includes a glass rod, a mixing rod and a plurality of optical fibers surrounding a circumferential surface of the glass rod. A first mixing rod end face of the mixing rod abuts a second rod end face of the glass rod and end faces of the optical fibers, so that white light and excitation light are guided and homogenized in the mixing rod.

Abstract: An illumination device for fluorescence image guided surgery and a surgical instrument. The illumination device includes a glass rod, a mixing rod and a plurality of optical fibers surrounding a circumferential surface of the glass rod. A first mixing rod end face of the mixing rod abuts a second rod end face of the glass rod and end faces of the optical fibers, so that white light and excitation light are guided and homogenized in the mixing rod.

Abstract: An illumination device including an illumination source having a light source; a sensor; and a processor; and a light guiding cable having main and secondary fiber bundles. The light guiding cable comprises a first end coupled to the illumination source and an opposite second end configured for coupling with a surgical instrument such that the light source provides the surgical instrument with light from the light source. The first end is coupled to the illumination source such that light from the light source is coupled into the main fiber bundle and light guided in the secondary fiber bundle is directed to the sensor. The processor receives a signal from the sensor indicative of an illumination level at the sensor and generates a control signal if the illumination level of the sensor is above a predetermined threshold value.